Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
79 junior team members at the CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll have been given layoff notices and the union is far from impressed.
A letter sent to all employees by Unifor Local 88 Chair Mike Van Boekel made the union’s position quite clear.
“It is shocking and brutal how this is being handled. I am hearing this is a Detroit call - we have too many members for two shifts and instead of supplying proper notice and following the law of the federal government, (General Motors) are approaching junior members and notifying them they are laid off and asking them to leave the plant.”
Sources tell the Echo management alerted the employees in person Monday morning. Afternoon shift workers were given the news by telephone and were told not to come in for their shift. Laid off workers will be getting 80 per cent pay for two weeks.
“Please know that we are deeply sorry for the members and their families this impacts,” added Van Boekel. “We do not agree on how this is being done. You don’t walk up to people working on the lines and lay them off and tell them to go home. This is devastating news. Many of these members have spouses and families also working here and the ripple effect is terrible,” he explained.
The union also believes federal labour laws have been broken. Local 88 has asked the national office to help.
“We have language in our contract, including Letter 14 that states GM must offer programs to help mitigate job loss. We have brought up packages, volunteers – why not ask 80 members to stay home for a year.”
The Echo asked Van Boekel just before press time if there was anything new to report. He declined comment but did say Unifor and General Motors are talking.
The two sides agreed on a new two-year contract last September and the relationship between the two sides was extremely positive.
“It is a very good deal and answered a lot of the issues we had. We received economic gains which is good because it's been a tough ride for our members and a tough ride for everybody the way prices have gone up the last few years,” said Van Boekel at the time.
Workers received a 10 per cent pay increase with a 2 per cent increase in Sept. 2025 and an additional 3% increase in July 2026. By the time the contract expires, production workers will top out at $44.52 per hour and trades at $55.97. Other highlights of the deal include a $10,000 signing bonus for full-time employees, improvements to pension plans and improved safety provisions.
Unifor Local 88 represents more than 1,300 members at CAMI Assembly and Battery Assembly who manufacture the Chevrolet BrightDrop EV 600 and EV 400 and Ultium battery modules.
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